Set-top boxes are a known electronic component which receives television programming signals from a source thereof, such as a cable, fiber-optic, DSL, BPL or satellite, and controls one or more televisions connected thereto to display the received programming. The discussion below focuses on set-top boxes which receive content provided by a content service provider.
Content service providers usually lease or sell set-top boxes to consumers to be used with the provided video content service. The content service providers typically assume an obligation to provide a functional set-top box to the customer and fix any malfunctions detected by the customer. When notified that a customer's set-top box is malfunctioning, the content service provider usually exchanges the malfunctioning set-top box for a functional set-top box.
The set-top boxes indicated by the customers to be malfunctioning are gathered by the content service provider at a designated location such as a warehouse or other storage facility. At the warehouse, to determine whether the set-top boxes are actually malfunctioning, the allegedly malfunctioning set-top boxes are typically subjected to a few basic, minimal tests, without any consistency in the nature of the tests. Thus, for example, a test operator may analyze each set-top box to determine whether the set-top box is superficially functioning correctly or not. This entails, among other things, connecting the set-top box to video and audio output devices, checking for certain channels and a guide screen, manually initiating tests and visually monitoring the video output of the screen and audibly monitoring the audio output. Other tests may also be performed by the test operator to ascertain the basic functionality of the set-top box or the existence of a fault in the set-top box or failure thereof.
Initiation and running of the tests involves use of user-prompted screens displayed on the video output device connected to the set-top box, which are problematic as the test operator may err in the prompts and fail to locate a problem with the set-top box. For example, testing analog or digital video output of the set-top box is conducted by prompting the test operator to view a channel on the video output device for about five seconds and enter a video quality pass notation, or not. Other tests also require the test operator to enter a quality pass notation. It has been found that test operators often simply enter the pass notation for all the various tests in order to expedite the diagnostic testing process.
Furthermore, some tests are hard to verify, such as a test for verifying Security ID's which requires careful examination of sometimes lengthy character strings. Often, a single erroneous character in a long string will be difficult to verify, possibly due to similarities between characters used in the Security ID's, such as “O” and “0”.
Typical results of the testing of set-top boxes may indicate the presence of each set-top box in one or more of the following non-exclusive categories: No problem found (NPF); Security ID problems; unable to authorize the set-top box for program reception; RF level; Error status/purchases; Video/Audio adjustment; Analog & digital channel failures; AC outlet problems; and return path tests.
If a set-top box fails this initial testing stage, it is sent for further testing to a dedicated testing and repair facility. However, if a set-top box has an inconsistent Security ID and serial number, it generally cannot be sent to the testing and repair facility and is left at the warehouse to await manual correction to the Security ID or serial number of the set-top box by the content service provider personnel, which unfortunately can result in long time delays from when the problem is diagnosed to when it actually gets resolved.
Although there is preferably some basic testing of the set-top boxes at the warehouse by the content service providers, as described above, it is not unheard of that prior to sending set-top boxes to the testing and repair facility, the content service providers do not ascertain whether the set-boxes are indeed malfunctioning, but rather and unfortunately, rely on the customer's indication of a malfunction in the set-top box.
Additionally, errors made in diagnosing a set-top box as defective are also made in reverse of diagnosing a set-top box as functional when it is in deed defective. This can result in additional handling and truck rolls to retrieve the defective unit from the field, along with customer dissatisfaction of having a defective unit deployed in their home.
The foregoing testing process can lead to significant delays in the turn-around time between receipt of an allegedly malfunctioning set-top box from a customer and return of a functional set-top box to the deployment queue for deployment to a customer. Among other things, when a unit is categorized defective, it may be kept at the content service provider's warehouse in preparation for shipping to the testing and repair facility. Once at the testing and repair facility, the set-top boxes are subjected to thorough diagnostic checks which determine whether the set-top box has been correctly diagnosed as a set-top box with problems, i.e., whether the reported effect is the correct diagnosis. If so, the set-top box will be serviced and processed for shipment to the content service provider's warehouse, where it will be re-entered into an inventory tracking system and processed until it is delivered to a customer. However, prior to actually being delivered to a customer, there may be an error in the processing which will result in the set-top box being returned to the testing and repair facility. As a result of the foregoing activity, a properly functioning set-top box may be removed from deployment for one month or longer.
It would be desirable to provide a testing process for set-top boxes which reduces the time for testing set-top boxes in order to maximize the potential use and deployment of the set-top boxes. Moreover, it would be desirable to expedite the analysis of the functionality of set-top boxes, once indicated by customers as malfunctioning, in order to shorten testing and repair times and return of functioning set-top boxes to the content service provider for deployment to customers. The systematic order and regimented control of following pre-determined test sequences in logical order allows for the reduction of test times and the repeatability of diagnosis to occur. Lastly, with such system in place, spare part ordering for cosmetic parts and replacement accessories (i.e. remote control units, AC power cords, and cables) can be streamlined and delivery expedited to the point of use in the content providers testing facility.